fighting near the airport and around the capital city has intensified in the past week. the latest amateur video showed street battles and a car set afire by a rocket attack. the exiled leader of hamas khaled meshaal entered gaza today for the first time. it was, in part, a show of defiance after the militant group's latest clash with israel. we have a report narrated by jonathan rugman of "independent television news." >> reporter: he crossed the border from egypt with tears in his eyes. the leader of hamas setting foot on palestinian territory for the first time in 37 years. he had never been to gaza in his life but after kissing the tarmac apparently sobbing as he did so khaled meshaal said gaza had always been in his heart. there to greet him were the al qassam brigades. named after an arab rebel leader killed by the british in the 1930s. 80 years on the fight for self- rule isn't over. and thousands turned out to watch meshaal's cavalcade crawl through gaza city just days after a war with israel which left around 160 palestinians dead. >> the second was when i was r